Open Heaven 24 July 2026: Sustaining Your Freedom 2
MEMORISE: Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Psalm 100:2
READ: Luke 17:12-19
12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
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Yesterday, I discussed how a fellow who has been delivered must praise God to sustain his or her freedom. Today, I will discuss thanksgiving, perpetual worship, and genuine service to the Lord as steps a person must also take to maintain his or her freedom.
In today’s Bible reading, ten lepers cried unto Jesus for mercy, and He told them to go and show themselves to the priests. As they went, they discovered that they were healed, but only one of them returned to say “Thank you” to Jesus. He returned praising and glorifying God with a loud voice. He was not shy about giving thanks to God, and Jesus gave him an extra miracle; He made him whole.
An African adage says that a child who is grateful for a gift he or she receives today will definitely receive more gifts in the future. When you give thanks to the Almighty God for what He has done for you, beyond retaining what He has given you, you will also position yourself to receive more from Him.
Worshipping God perpetually is another step to sustaining deliverance and freedom. In 2 Kings 5:1-17, God delivered Naaman from the yoke of leprosy. After his deliverance, Naaman made up his mind that he would only worship the Almighty God for the rest of his life, and I am sure that his deliverance remained permanent. You must also make up your mind that you will spend your life worshipping God and Him alone.
You should also have a place where you can meet with God to worship Him regularly, regardless of its size or unconventional nature. I remember a time when the only place I could worship God without disturbance was in my bathroom. You should also ensure that your heart is always prepared to worship Him at all times.
Another key to sustaining deliverance and freedom is to serve God genuinely and wholeheartedly. When the Lord takes away a fellow’s burdens, the fellow should serve Him with his or her whole heart and be committed in the place of service.
In Mark 5:1-20 after Jesus had delivered the mad man of Gadara, He told him to go about preaching the gospel to his friends. When you submit yourself as a tool in the hands of God to expand His kingdom, the devil cannot possess you again.
I pray that as you thank the Almighty generously, worship Him perpetually, and serve Him wholeheartedly, He will preserve your victories and increase His blessings in your life, in Jesus’ name.
PRAYER
Father, please help me to cultivate a heart that thanks You generously, worships You perpetually, and serves You wholeheartedly all the days of my life.
